Manifold muffler arrangement



1968 c. IWJOZEPAITIS 3,

MANIFOLD MUFFLER-ARRANGEMENT Filed July :5, 1967 INVENTO R dwzass/ fl dbzzpw/ r/s United States Patent 3,419,107 MANIFOLD MUFFLER ARRANGEMENT Charles M. Jozepaitis, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Nash Engineering Company, South Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed July 3, 1967, Ser. No. 650,741 7 Claims. (Cl. 181-40) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combined manifold and mufller arrangement for interconnecting the inlet or discharge ports of a pump or an engine wherein the communication passages and chambers normally present to muflle sounds are utilized to permit the passage of fluids or mixtures of fluids flowing through the pump or engine. The manifold-mufller arrangement includes at least a mixing chamber separated from an outlet chamber by a wall extension transversely to the longitudinal axis of the manifold-muffler. Several discharge ports or inlets are directed to the mixing chamber, and one of the discharge ports extends through the transverse wall and is located substantially centrally in the shell member while the attenuating means are located in surrounding relationship to said conduit in the transverse wall.

Background of the invention This invention relates to pumps or engines and, more particularly, to a novel combination manifold and muffler arrangement for interconnecting a plurality of inlets or discharge ports while attenuating any pumping noise which may be generated.

There are certain instances wherein it is required that two pumps or compressors discharge into a utilization device which may, for example, be a third pump or compressor for transporting the combined material. Under these circumstances, it has been found that pumping sounds, that is, sounds developed in the pump due to the pumping action, were freely entering the connected sys tem or the surrounding environment with very little, if any, attenuation thereof. Prior to the present invention, it was necessary to provide each discharge port with its separate muflier, then combine the two discharges into a common manifold which would then provide the input to the connected system. It is, therefore, important and, in fact, highly desirable to eliminate the separate mufllers and separate manifolds and combine the function of each element in a single device which would occupy less space than the two elements which it displaces. In some cases the present invention might be utilized to manifold a plurality of inlets or discharge ports of a single unit or machine prior to introduction or connection to a muffler or other device.

Summary of the invention In this invention, 'an essentially hollow, cylindrical shell is provided with a plurality or apertured baflles spacedly disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical shell to form communicating chambers within the shell. According to one arrangement for using this invention, a first inlet port is provided in the shell to discharge into the chamber located at one end of the manifoldmufller arrangement furthest from the outlet port. The outlet port is located in the last chamber at the other end of the manifold-muffler arrangement. A second inlet port discharges into the first chamber where the discharged material is combined with the discharged material of the first inlet port and the combined discharge is then forced to flow through the communicating ports of the battles to the outlet port of the manifold-muffler arrangement. By utilizing the discharged material in the sound-attenuating 3,419,107 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 chambers, objectionable pumping sounds emanating from a pump connected to the dsicharge port would be forced to flow against the flow of discharged material, thereby enhancing the degree of sound attenuation and allowing the use of a smaller muffler than heretofore possible.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel manifold-muffler arrangement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel manifold-muffler arrangement wherein a single device will provide a dual function of serving as a muffler and serving as a manifold.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel manifold-muffler arrangement wherein the discharged material flows through the sound-attenuating chambers and the flow of discharged material is utilized to enhance the sound attenuation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel manifold-muffler arrangement that is noticeably smaller than would be normally required by reason of the fact that the discharged material, flowing through the sound-attenuating chambers of the device, flows against the direction of the flow of sound and enhances the degree of sound attenuation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a manifold-muflier arrangement for attenuating pumping sounds before they enter a connected system to minimize the possibility of producing a sympathetic resonant vibration of elements in the other system.

An important object of this invention is to provide means for interconnecting two or more pump or engine inlet or discharge connections as a manifold and to incorporate in such manifold an arrangement of chambers and passages which will attenuate sounds emanating from the inlet or discharge means of a pump or engine while permitting passage of the fluids or mixtures of fluids flowing through the pump or engine.

The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevational view of the manifold-muflier combination of the present invention taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is another transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to FIGS. 14 of the drawings, in which like numerals are utilized to indicate like parts throughout the several views, there is shown a reference numeral 10 which designates the surrounding shell of the manifold-muffler arrangement of the present invention. Shell 10 includes an end plate 12 for providing a sealing closure at one end of the shell and with end plate 14 for providing a sealing closure at the other end of the shell. Discharge port 16 is incorporated in end shell 14 and provides a means for transferring the exhausts or discharge material from the manifold-muffler arrangement into a connected system, a utilization device or into the atmosphere. Discharge port 16 is provided with an apertured flange 18 for ease of attachment to the subsequent system which, for example, may be a pumping device.

The interior portion of shell 10 is further provided with a series of partitions 20 and 22, disposed along the axis of shell 10, to form chambers A, B and C. Tubes or nipples 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d are included in partition 20 to provide communication between chambers A and B, while tubes or nipples 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d are formed in partition 22 to provide for the free communication between chambers B and C. Inlet port 24, with a suitably apertured mounting flange 26, is affixed to shell to provide means for discharging directly into chamber A, while inlet port 28, having a suitably apertured mounting flange 30, is provided at the other end of shell 10 to also permit the direction of its discharge into chamber A by means of elbow section 28a and extension section 28b.

Shell 10 may also be provided with annular grooves to receive the peripheral portions of partitions and 22 which separate and form chambers A, B and C. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the number of chambers, the number of connecting passages and the configuration of shell 10 may be rearranged to suit the particular fluids or gases flowing therethrough and to attenuate the sounds. Thus, particular installations may require more than three chambers and each partition, for example, may be provided with more than four apertures for communication between the chambers.

In use, inlet 24 is connected, by means of flange 26, to the discharge or outlet end of a device (not shown) handling, for example liquid. Inlet port 28 would then be connected by means of flange 30 to a second device (not shown) wherein the material or liquid the second device is handling discharges into inlet port 28 and, thence, into chamber A through elbow 28a and extension piece 28b as shown by the solid arrows 32. Once both discharges enter chamber A, both discharges are mixed in this chamber and the mixture is forced through chambers B and C via tubes or nipples 20a-20d and 22a22d. Thus, sound waves entering chamber A of shell 10 through inlet ports 24 and extension piece 28b are attenuated as they pass through chambers A, B and C and intermediate partitions 20 and 22 and their associated nipples, tubes or holes. The gases and liquids flowing into chamber A through inlet means 24 and 28b may thus flow through nipples or tubes 20a-20d in partition 20 and nipples or tubes 2211-2211 in partition 22.

Finally, the mixed material, after it passes through tubes or nipples 22a-22d, accumulates in exit chamber C and eventually passes through exit discharge port 16 which has been suitably connected, by means of flange 18, to a utilization device or further system (not shown). This further system may be another pumping device capable of generating noises of its own which could enter and set up sympathetic vibrations in the systems connected to inlet ports 24 and 28. Entering sounds, indicated by the dashed arrows 34, must now flow contra the flow of the material discharged from inlet ports 24 and 28 and, by so doing, are severely attenuated by both the baflie arrangement and the contra-flowing discharge, mixed material.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and from the drawing that the present invention, in a single element provides the dual structure of a manifold and a sound attenuating muffler requiring a minimum of space. All the fluids pumped pass through the sound attenuating chambers and the liquid flow of a liquid/gas mixture is utilized to enhance the sound attenuation. It should be noted that, by use of the present invention, pumping sounds are attenuated before they enter any larger structure and that all of the fluid mixture is directed through the manifold/muffler arrangement without first separating the liquid from the gas.

While I have described what is presently considered the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the inventive concept, and it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A manifold-muffler arrangement comprising an elongated shell member having a longitudinal axis, a common mixing chamber located at one end of said shell member, first and second inlet ports for discharging material into said common mixing chamber, means located transversely to the longitudinal axis and away from and in communication with said common mixing chamber for causing noise to be attenuated as it flows through said manifold-mufller arrangement in either direction, outlet means at the other end of said manifoldmuffler arrangement in communication with said last mentioned means, said noise attenuatnig means comprising at least one apertured partition arranged within and transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shell member intermediate said first and second ends thereof to define, in combination with said first end member, said mixing chamber, the discharge material flowing from said mixing chamber to said outlet means through the apertures in said partition, said outlet means being located axially within said shell.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1 including a second apertured partition spaced from said first partition to define, in combination with said first partition, a second chamber intermediate said mixing chamber and said outlet means.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second inlet port extends through at least said one partition in direct communication with said mixing chamher.

4. The device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second inlet port extends through said first and second partitions in communication with said mixing chamber.

5. A manifold-muffler arrangement comprising:

(a) an elongated shell member having a longitudinal axis;

(b) a first end member sealingly secured to one end of said shell member;

(c) a first apertured partition located within and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell member to define, in combination with said shell member and said first end member, a mixing chamber extending along the said longitudinal axis;

((1) a second end member sealingly secured at the other end of the shell member;

(e) a second apertured partition located within and substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shell member in axially spaced relationt-o said first partition, to form, with said second end member an outlet chamber;

(f) a discharge port located in said second end member;

(g) first and second inlet ports in communication with said mixing chamber for discharging material thereinto; the discharged material flowing from said mixing chamber to said outlet chamber.

6. The device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second inlet port extends through said first and second partitions in direct communication with said mixing chamber.

7. A manifold-muflier arrangement comprising a shell member; a common mixing chamber in said shell member, first and second inlet ports for discharging material into said common mixing chamber, an outlet means in communication with said common mixing chamber, at least one wall separating said common mixing chamber and said outlet means and located substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of said shell member, and means in said wall for causing noise to be attenuated as it flows through said manifold-muffler arrangement in either direction, one of said inlet ports connecting directly to said common mixing chamber while the other of said inlet ports passes through said wall to said common mixing 5 chamber, said other inlet port being a conduit extending substantially centrally in said shell member, and said attenuating means being located in surrounding relationship to said conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,420 4/ 1937 Sheldrick. 2,468,384 4/1949 Tyskewicz 181-56 XR 2,513,229 6/1950 Bourne et a1. 181-56 XR ROBERT S. WARD,

Bryant 181-57 Bourne et a1. 181-56 XR Maxim 18147 Lowther 181-40 Powers 181-57 XR Gallagher 181-45 JR., Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

